The president of Nigeria Amputee Football Federation (NAFF), Paul Maduakor has thrown more light on the body’s ‘Raise An Eagle’ project, which he says will not only support sports development but also empower the naira.
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While expressing profound gratitude at the presence of legendary former national football star and AFCON 1980 winner, Chief Segun Odegbami at the project’s unveiling ceremony in Lagos, Maduakor said it is to the benefit of athletes in all sports events.
He, however, stressed that the immediate target of NAFF is to ensure better welfare conditions for amputee footballers, especially those in the national team, Special Eagles.
The erudite administrator also spoke about NAFF’s target of making Nigeria proud at the forthcoming African Amputee Football Cup of Nations (AAFCON) in Egypt, where he believes another statement would be made about ‘ability in disability.’
The NAFF boss expatiated that ‘Raise An Eagle’ is a multi-faceted venture that includes a sports shop in Surulere, sale of specially branded jerseys for all sporting endeavours as well as purchases, donations and endorsements in a fund raising drive.
Maduakor began with words of glee, saying: “I real feel elated. We are so grateful to Chief Odegbami for honouring our invitation to come and unveil not just the jerseys but the shop as well. It was also an opportunity for us to officially unveil our marketing venture called Raise An Eagle.
“It’s a project that we are using to diversify the means of supporting specially challenged athletes. We want a situation whereby people who buy these jerseys are directly and indirectly supporting our players.
“Once you buy a jersey here, you are already raising an eagle. As God blesses you so much, you can also raise an eagle with any token you want or whatever you have so that we can give them a better and improved standard of living.”
The amiable businessman and sports enthusiast, then highlighted the marketing, commercial, and human development, angles of the project, which he stressed is more than a sales and purchases venture based in one location.
He declared: “The target of Raise An Eagle is not just like every shop you see on the street. It is a shop that is dedicated to supporting, encouraging, and giving a better standard of living to every sport athlete. We don’t want anyone to be a nuisance to society.
“So, if you think you want to be a blessing to your generation, you want to be a blessing to your family and yourself, please pick one sport and do the needful.
“The Raise An Eagle project will support all forms of sports. We want each athlete to multi-task and to do different sports activities. You never can tell where the laurels will come from. This is the flagship store, and more will follow.
“More information is provided through all our media outlets. Our social media handle is specialeagle.com on Instagram. There, and through other sources, you will find out that it is affordable. Furthermore, when you support this particular course by buying a jersey, you are also supporting the naira; because every product in this shop is made in Nigeria by a Nigerian brand, Prostar.”
Maduakor also spoke about NAFF’s preparations of the Special Eagles for this year’s AAFCON on Egypt, ahead of which he boasted that the squad is already up to the task.
“Our Special Eagles are ever ready. We’ve been there, we’ve conquered Africa, and we are going all out also to conquer the world. Though African amputee football of today is not like that of yesteryears, the truth is that we are resilient.
“We have done everything possible in terms of preparations, and we are promising Nigerians that we are going to make them proud,” Maduakor submitted.
